David Selby was born and grew up in Berkeley, California. He taught elementary school in California, Mexico, and New Mexico for thirty-six years. He and his wife live in Northwest New Mexico.  He has written many short stories including the Joe the Man with Gills series. Mica is his first novel.

Mica, an expert navigator, uses the currents of the Darkstream to pilot his ship across the galaxy to join his love, Olivine. On the way, he befriends Ronnie, a stowaway who can look like a coat or a first aid kit, the mysterious Vuud, and the translucent “Slight People”. They experience the savage planet of Carnage and the whirling destruction of the Moon of 10,000 Drones before they even reach Olivine in the brand-new city of Garner in the midst of an unknown world.


Mica

We all became satisfied, full, stuffed. The last dessert course hd been a flakey pastry over some unknown cooked fruit that was both sweet and tart. The whole wasw covered by a cool tan cream which was lightly flavored with the same mysterious fruit in a strong alcoholic liqueur. Extremely good; it left seeds in my teeth.


As we groaned at the tables; the plates, knives and forks were cleared away and a slight breeze blew through the hall, and the formerly laden tables had nothing but glasses and carafes of cool water.


To our left, a pair of singers in modest attire, apparently a young couple, sang a sweet song, followed by a sad one, and finally a lively one. They bowed and received a dish filled with money that had been circulated for them.


Chapter 28: At Rogere's Party, Part 2